[3.23] Lk's Vaal Caress Cold DoT Trickster [Zoomy League-starter] (New 3.23 Gameplay Video)

Act 1:
The Mud Flats
(BBG) Freezing pulse + Arcane Surge + Chance to Poison

After The Mud Flats
(BBG) Freezing pulse + Arcane Surge + Volley
(BG) Frost bomb + Chance to Poison
(B) Flame wall
(B) Frostblink

After Brutus
1. Switch to "double daggers" OR "dagger + shield" to use Whirling Blades until Act 6. Alternatively, you can use Flame Dash if you do not wish to use daggers.
(GG) Whirling Blades + Momentum

2. Add Added Cold Damage to the Frost Bomb set-up
(BGG) Frost bomb + Chance to Poison + Added Cold Damage

Entering Caven of Wrath
1. You will receive the Merveil quest rewards as soon as you enter the Caven of Wrath. Replace Freezing Pulse with Creeping Frost.
(BBG) Creeping Frost + Arcane Surge + Volley

Act 2:
1. The Great White Beast quest is not required if you are using Whirling Blades.

2. After clearing "Intruders in Black" and "Sharp and Cruel", you will unlock the gems to upgrade your Creeping Frost set-up. You will also add Cold Snap, Skitterbots and Herald of Ice:
(BBBG) Creeping Frost + Arcane Surge + Volley + Elemental Focus
(BBB) Cold Snap – Controlled Destruction - Efficacy
(B) Summon Skitterbots
(G) Herald of Ice

3. Kill all bandits for 2 skill points.

Act 3:
1. Add Frostbite for curse after clearing the Lost in Love quest.
(B) Frostbite

2. Once you have Vortex unlocked and are lvl 28, switch over to the full DoT set-up. The gems will be:

DPS:
(BBR/B) Cold Snap – Controlled Destruction – Cruelty / Efficacy
(BBBR/B) Vortex – Controlled Destruction – Ele Focus – Cruelty / Efficacy
(BBBR/B) Creeping Frost – Controlled Destruction – Ele Focus – Cruelty / Efficacy

If you did not complete Fixture of Fate (optional library quest) use Efficacy instead of Cruelty until you help Lily Roth in Act 6.
If you are facing mana issues, reduce Vortex to 3L or remove auto-cast on left click. Any mana issues will be resolved when Eldritch Battery is allocated in Act 4.

Curse:
(B) Frostbite

Exposure:
(B) Frost Bomb

Aura:
(B) Malevolence

Movement:
(GG) Whirling Blades – Momentum
(B) Frost Blink / Flame Dash

3. Run Normal Lab and allocate One Step Ahead.

Act 4:
1. After Eldritch Battery is allocated, add Grace to your auras.
(G) Grace

2. After killing Malachai, add Bonechill to Cold Snap
(BBBR/B) Cold Snap – Bonechill – Controlled Destruction – Cruelty / Efficacy

Act 5:
After Whispers of Doom is allocated, add Elemental Weakness to your curses.
(B) Elemental Weakness

If you have gem slots, you can combine Frost bomb and your curses into an Arcanist Brand.
(BBBB) Arcanist Brand – Frostbite – Frost bomb – Elemental Weakness

Act 6:
1. After helping Lily Roth, you can replace Whirling Blades with Shield Charge (you need to equip a shield).
(RG) Shield Charge – Faster Attacks

2. When you acquire a 5L chest, combine Creeping Frost and Vortex into the chest:
(BBBBR) Creeping Frost – Vortex – Controlled Destruction – Elemental Focus – Cruelty

This will free up four sockets for more gems:
(R) Immortal Call
(RG) Divine Blessing (lvl 1) – Hatred
(G?) Culling Strike (link to Shield Charge or Flame Dash / Frostblink)

Act 7:
Run Cruel Lab and allocate Polymath.

Act 8:
After Mana Mastery is allocated, add Discipline aura.
(B) Discipline

Act 10:
Run Merciless Lab and allocate Polymath.

Tier 1:
1. % increased Frostbite Curse Effect
2. % increased Elemental Weakness Curse Effect

Tier 2:
1. Vortex has % increased Cooldown Recovery Rate
2. % increased Vortex Damage
3. % increased Vortex Area of Effect
4. Flame Dash has % increased Cooldown Recovery Rate / Frostblink has % increased maximum travel distance (depends on which you use)

Death rush is a good consideration for speed mapping if you have sufficient life and resistances on other gear. https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Death_Rush The Adrenaline buff on kill is quite strong. It provides:
1. 100% increased damage
2. 25% increased attacks, cast and movement speed
3. 10% additional physical damage reduction

An optional super late game consideration is using Mark of the Shaper with an Elder ring for more DPS. https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Mark_of_the_Shaper
Getting a good Elder ring can be very expensive. You will probably have to sacrifice some life/stats. The "Summon Volatile Anomaly on Kill" helps a bit with map clear.

1. % increased attack and cast speed
2. % chance to avoid being stunned if you've killed recently (if lacking in stun immunity)